An Emphasis on Tragedy
The creators of the musical—book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick—all of whom were Jewish, could never have imagined that the anti-Semitism of the period in which “Fiddler” is set would ever rear its head again. But history has a way of repeating, especially for those ignorant of history.This Drury Lane revival takes that into account with a more serious tone and greater emphasis on the sadness and tragedy of a persecuted people who are losing their traditions, culture, livelihood, identity, and ultimately, their home and country.
This new production is faithful to the story in which Tevye (a powerful portrayal by Mark David Kaplan) asks God if it “would destroy some grand eternal plan ‘If I Were a Rich Man”?), and with his wife Golde (Janna Cardia, who performs a charming take on “Do You Love Me?”) have recruited matchmaker Yenta (Janet Ulrich Brooks) to find husbands for their three eldest daughters: Tzeitel (hilarious Emma Rosenthal), Hodel (Yael Eden Chanukov) and Chava (Abby Goldberg).
Of course, the daughters ignore Yenta’s help and find husbands on their own. Tzeitel ends up with Motel the tailor (Michael Kurowski, performing a delightful “Miracle of Miracles”), Hodel finds the revolutionary Perchik (Zach Sorrow), and Chava marries Fyedka, a Russian Christian (Grant Kilian). Although Tevye is not pleased with his daughters’ selections, he goes along with two of his daughter’s choices, but the marriage of Chava to a Russian is too far a stretch for him to approve.
Tradition is still front and center in this revival, but Jack Magaw’s minimalist set is drained of color, reduced to muddy shades of grays and browns. Costume designer Linda Roethke indicates the impoverished desperation of the villagers with drab rags of clothing. To add to the appearance of misery, Jason Lynch’s lighting design has the shadowy hues of an upcoming storm.
Effectively and elegantly directed by Elizabeth Margolius, this “Fiddler” is darker and more realistic than previous musical revivals. It unfolds not in the present, but from Tevye’s dreamlike memory of looking back on his life.
Fortunately, the musical score, with an orchestra under the leadership of Christopher Sargent, remains true to Bock’s glorious songs. We hear “Tradition,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and the “Sabbath Prayer.” But Rommy Sandhu’s new choreography trims the exuberant “To Life” dance and removes the extraordinary Bottle Dance, a highlight in the original “Fiddler.”
This remarkable and poignant production offers engaging moments of joy and laughter, which veer into sadness and tragedy. Audience members laughed during some of the show’s funny bits but were greatly moved in a following scene. A woman sitting next to me with her daughter was visibly touched when she heard “Sunset, Sunrise.” As the villagers came together, dragging their few possessions, trudging to leave their little town, and singing the plaintive “Anatekva,” many in the audience could be seen holding back tears.
